Grain-binder



(-No Model.)

. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. M. STBINLB.

GRAIN BINDER.

Patented Deo. Z7, 1887.

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Patented Deo. 27, 1887.

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N. PETERSV Fhwlelhogmphar. Wnshingnn, D.C.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-#sheet s. W. M. STEINLE.

lGRAIN BINDER.

No. 375,659. Patented Dec. l27, 1887.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. M. STEINLE. GRAIN BINDER. No. 375,659. Patented Deo. 27, 1887.

O L Q ?a 4:2 5339 52 l Q [la N. PETERS, PhutmLilhogl-apher. Washington. D. C.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

W. M. STEINLE;

GRAIN BINDER.

No. 375,659, Patented Deo. 2'7, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM M. STEINLE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN BOVVMAN, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAIN-BINDER.

SPCFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,659, dated December 27, 1E 87.

Application filed April 1S, 1887. Serial No. 235,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM M. STEINLE,

a citizen ci' the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of 5 Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Binders; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art t which it appertains to make. and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved hand grain-binder. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 11 is a top view of the binding mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line x x, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a similar view on line y y, Fig. 4. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are perspective views of the knotter and its surrounding and co-operative parts, showing the several steps in forming the knot; and Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a perspective and a sectional detail view ofthe clamp for securing the ends of the cord above the knotter.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to so-called handbinders for binding grain from the eld by hand-power, either binding the sheaves or bundles as they are left by a reaping-machine or by a reaper using a cradle; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a device, by means of which the grain is bundled and tied with a cord -carried upon the device by means of a suitable knotting mechanism operated by hand, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a handle, from which two arms, 2, diverge toward the front end of the machine, the diverging forward ends ofthese arms being united by means ofa cross-piece, 8, and a table, 4, secured between them. Two semi circular bars, 5, are secured at their rear ends to a cross-piece, 6, about midway of the diverging arms, and these bars are secured parallel to each other to near their forward downwardly-curved ends, where they diverge, be-

(No model.)

ing secured to the ends of the forward crosspiece, having curved teeth or prongs 7 formed at their ends, projecting below the table and cross-piece. A handle, 8, has its inner end secured between the semicircular bars at the point where they commence to diverge, and a strip, 9, is secured with its upper end to near the end of this handle, and has its lower portion secured to the forward cross-piece, being extended below the same into a curved prong 6o or tooth, 10. A bolt, 11, is inserted through the diverging arms 2, at the center of the are on which semicireular bars are formed, and two arms, 12, are pivoted by sleeves 13 at their inner ends upon this bolt, and have a curved needle, 14, secured with its inner end between the outer ends of the arms, a brace, 15, serving to furthermore secure the needle to the arms.

A bifurcated arm, 16, is pivoted near its in- 73 ner end upon the inner side of one of the needle supporting arms near the pivotal point of the same, and has a spring, 17, secured to the inner end and to the arm above the pivotal point, drawing the bifurcated arm toward the 75 sleeve of the arm, and a cord, 18, is secured to the brace of the needle and passes between the bifurcated ends of the arm under the table and up around a pulley or sheave, 19, in the forward end of the saine, over a sheave, 20, 8o upon the segmental bars, and is secured to the outer portion of a lever, 21, fulcrumed with a sleeve, 22, upon the central bolt between the sleeves of the needlevarms and sliding between the segmental bars,witli its Outer portion hav- 8 5 ing a handle, 23, at the outer end. As the bifurcated end of thelever 16 is below the point at which the needle is pivoted to the frame, the cord 18, as it passes from the needle to the lever 21, is thrown so far below the pivotal 9o point that the draw upon the needle will swing it around more easily than if the cord passed as close to the pivotal point'as it would were the arm not used,as in that case the draw upon the needle would be more nearly toward the center 9 5 of the circle in which the needle moves. The needleis provided with an eye, 24,near the end, and has a groove, 25, in its back,which is provided with a number of transverse pins or staples, 26, contining the twine 27 in the said Ico groove, the twine being held in a suitable box or receptacle, 2S, between the converging ends of the arms, and being sufficiently retarded in its passage to the needle by means of a tensionspring, 29, upon the semicircular bar, having a screw, 30, passing through one end into the said bar, the twine passing between the spring and the bar and being more or less retarded as the screw is drawn more or less into the bar.

'A coiled spring, 3l, is secured with its forward. end to the forward end of one of the semicircular bars, and has a cord, 32, secured thereupon upward, bringing the eye before the forward end of the device and bringing the needle and cord to encircle a sheaf or bundle which may have been rolled up by the teeth or prongs at the forward end of the device.

The cord 18 will compress the sheaf or bundle between it and the curved teeth or prongs, so that the strain of compressing the same will not fall upon the twine, the free end of which is held above the knotting device upon the table by a clamping-lever, 33, having a beveled inner end, 34, and secured to the outer yielding end, 35, of an elastic arm, V36, pivoted to rockin a vertical plane at one end upon a small bracket, 37, upon one of the semicircular bars, bearing against the edges of the said bars,and having a spring, 38, attached to it and to the bar, drawing it upward.

The outer end of the clamping-lever projects beyond the free end of the pivoted arm, and the inner face of the inner arm of thelever has a vertical groove, 39,registering with a similar groove, 40, in the face of thearm, and a bolt, 41, is secured to the inner arm ofthe levern ear the groove and passes through the arm, sliding in the same, and has its inner end secured to the free end of a fiat spring, 42, upon the inner side of the pivoted arm, the said spring drawing the beveled and grooved end of the lever toward the outer face of t-he arm, permitting the said end of the lever, however, to yield to the end of the twine being inserted between the lever and arm.

The free end of the twine is secured each time a sheaf is bound between the beveled end of the lever and the face of the arm, the grooves in the meeting faces allowing the ends of the twine to drop out as they are cut off by the cutter of the tying mechanism, and gradually pushed toward the grooves by the new ends inserted.

The tying mechanism is secured upon the table, which is provided at its forward edge, formed by the forward cross-piece, with a curved guard, 43, and which has upon its upper side a longitudinal partition or bar, 44, extending from the central pivotal bolt to the upper portion of the central tooth or prong.

A bracket, '89, is secured upon the side of this partition near the inner end of the same, and a flat bar or arm, 45, is pivoted to rock in a plane with the table upon a bolt, 46, projecting through the lower end of the bracket and through the inner end of the bar. The inner end of this bar is provided with an upwardlyprojecting bearing, 47, having a square or "rectangularlongitudinal perforation, 48, which registers with a similar perforation or bearing, 49, in an upright block, 50, upon the outer or forward end of the bar or arm, the said end projecting beyond the forward crosspiece. The inner end of a flat bent spring, 90, is secured to the partition inside of the bracket, and the outer bent and notched end of the spring is placed over the bar or arm, serving to draw the arm or bar toward the partition. Thejournal end 5l of the knotter 52 is journaled in the lower portion of this bearing, having the pinion 53 within the bearing, the knetter being journaled transversely in the block, and the forward and rear ends of a bar, 54, slide within the bearings, the forward end of the bar sliding above the pinion, the said forward end, 55, being smooth upon its under side and extending to a cogged rack portion, 56, at the middle of the bar, the longer rear portion, 57, of the bar being smooth.

The sliding bar is formed with two horizontal longitudinal slots, 5S and 59, in the forward end of the rack portionand immediately to the rear of the rack portion, and a sleeve, 60, is journaled upon a vertical bolt, 61, secured at the side ofthe sliding bar Vbetween a laterallyprojecting lip, 62, upon the rocking arm near the forward end of the same, and a bent bracket, 63, upon the same, the sleeve having an arm, 64, at its upper end, which may engage the slots of the sliding bar and bear with its end against the side of the bar, and an arm, 65, at its lower end at right angles to the upper arm and projecting forward, engaging a plate, 66, upon the partition with its end, the said plate forming, preferably, the point of attachment for the curved guard 43, at the forward end Vof the table.

A coiled spring, 67, is secured by its rear end to the side of the partition, near the rear end of the same, and the forward end of the spring is secured to a curved loop, 68, secured around the inner end of the upper arm upon the sleeve, passing around the sleeve, the said spring serving to throw the upper arm of the sleeve into the slots of the sliding bar when the latter is drawn back, and to force the end of the lowerarm of the sleeve against theplate. An arm, 69, is pivoted with its downwardlycurved inner end, 70, upon a nutted bolt, 7l, passing through the sliding bar to the rear of the rear slot and forward of the rear bearing, and the rearwardly-proj ecting straight portion of this arm is provided with a rearwardly-facing notch, 72, in its lower edge near the rear f side, sliding in a bail, 73, upon the operatinglever, and engaging a pin, 74, in the lower end IOO IZO

of the bail. A coiled spring, 75, is secured to this arm near the curved inner end and to the rear end of the partition, serving to draw the notch into engagement with the pin when the lever is tilted rearward, bringing the pin to register with the notch.

The knotter consists of the shaft- 76 and of a foot, 77, bent at a right angle to the shaft, and this foot is formed with a rounded or beveled heel, 78, and with a straight outwardly-projecting prong, 79, and with a hooked prong, 80, having its curved end pointing toward the straight prong and slightly inward. A at slightly-curved guard-lip, 8l, is secured to the upper portion of the central prong or tooth, projecting with its inner end over the k notter when the latter is tilted to that side, and a cross-bar, 82, is secured between the diverging ends of the semicircular bars above the forward crosspiece, and is provided with a pair of Haring guard-ngers, 83, the inner converging ends of which form a notch, 84, registering with the space between the inner side of the curved guard and the guard-lip. A rectangnlarlybent cutter-lever, 85, is pivoted at its bend near the inner side of this notch, having the sharp cutting-edge 86 of its short arm sliding upon and toward one of the fingers, and having one end of aspring, 87, secu red to its longer arm and to the cross-piece, drawing the said arm inward, and the sliding rack-bar is provided with a forwardly-projecting flat bar, 88, secured with its downwardlybent inner end upon the nutted bolt pivoting the notched arm to the bar, and having a notched or shouldered outer end, which may bear ,against the long arm of the cutter when the rack-bar is forced forward, bringing the cuttingedge against the finger, the shouldered or stepped portion of the end of this bar passing over the upper end of the forward bearingblock of the pivoted arm carrying the knot-ter.

When now the binder is to be used, the machine is drawn by the handle so as to cause the teeth or prongs to rake up the bundle, whereupon the operating-lever, which has been tilted forward, allowing the spring to draw the needle and its arms upward, is tilted rearward and down, drawing the needle under the bundle and compressing the latter between the teeth and the cord, as shown in Fig. '2, where the bundle is shown in section. The end of the twine has previously been secured in the twine-holder above the knotting mechanism, passing from the same through the notch between the guidengers and between the curved guard and the guard-lip, being thereupon carried around the bundle, and having the end extending from the eye of the needle resting in the notch and within the guards at the side of the end held by the holder. The parallel ends of the twine are thus held against what might be termed the instep77 of the foot of the knotter, the end of which projects outward and within the guard-lip, and when now the operating-lever is tilted forward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pin in its bail having engaged the notch, the sliding bar is forced forward, causing the upper arm of the journaled sleeve, which has been resting in the forward slot of the bar, to bear against the side of the same, tilting the pivoted arm to the side, away from the partition. This will cause the portions of twine bearing against the foot of the knotter to be drawn out of the straight line, and as now the rack portion of the bar engages the pinion of the knotter the foot of the latter will in revolving twist the portions of the twine around itself, bringing the upper ends of the first loop, which is numbered in Roman cipher I forward of the lower ends, the said ends being respectively numbered in Roman ciphers Il and III. As the sliding bar now progresses, its rear slot will reach the upper arm of the sleeve, giving the knotter its second movement in the direction of its axis, while it at the same time revolves, bringing the upper ends of the twine in between the prongs of the knetter as the foot revolves forward, so that these ends may forni the second loop, lV,as the knotter is revolved forward and downward, the weight of the bundle upon the lower ends dragging the first loop otf from the foot and over the second loop, thus forming the knot. The upper ends have in the meantime been cut by the cutter, so that the weight of the tied bundle may draw the second loop off `from the hooked prong, which prong has held the said loop, while the first loop was drawn over the same and tightened, and it will be seen that the knot thus formed cannot be loosened by the expansion of the sheaf or bundle, as drawing on the lower ends will tighten the knot, while the knot may be opened by drawing on the upper ends, which will cause the knot to be untied when going through the thrashing-machine, the knot being held tied by the expansion of the bundle and consequent draw upon the lower ends.

The progress will be readily seen by reference to the five last figures of the drawings, in which every stage of the knot is plainly illustrated, the ends and loops being numbered as they are formed in Roman cipher.

The operation of the device, then, in brief, is as follows: When the handle 23 is operated to draw the needle up by means of cord 18, the pin in the handle slides along bar 69, which is held against it by spring until it reaches or passes the notch in the bar. As the lever 23 is returned to its normal position it engages bar 69 and so slides theknotter-operating rack and the knot is tied, the second strand of the band having been laid in the holder by the needle and retained therein. 4This movement of the lever permits the needle to yield to the action of spring 3l and be returned to place, and in so returning strikes bar 69 and lifts its notch off the pin and the spring 75 draws the rack-bar back to place.

It follows that any other forni of knottyer may be used with the frame and that the knotter IOC) lIO

and its operating mechanism may, with a few modifications, be appliedto any self-binding reaper or hand-binding mechanism upon a reaper, the two mechanisms being applicable separately to other mechanisms, although they co-operate in this device.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States-` l. In a hand grain-binder, the combination of a frame consisting of two diverging arms united at the rear ends by a handle and two semicircnlar bars secured parallel with each other at one end between the converging ends of the arms, and with their diverging ends to the forward ends of the arms, having teeth or prongs at the diverging ends, an operatinglever pivoted at its inner end upon a bolt in the center of the semicircular bars, a curved needle having a twine threaded in its eyed outer end, and having its inner end secured to arms pivoted with their inner ends upon the central bolt, a cord secured to the operatinglever and passing over guide-sheaves upon the semicircular bars, and at the forward end of the frame being secured to near the inner end of the needle, a spring for drawing the needle back, and a knotting mechanism for tying the twine secured above the pronged ends of the semicircular bars and operated by the operating-lever, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. In a'hand grain-biuder, the combination of a frame consisting ot' two diverging arms united at the rear ends by a handle, and of two semicircular bars secured with their rear ends between the rear portions of the arms, and having their forward diverging ends secured to the diverging ends of the arms, and having curved prongs at their forward ends, and of a central prong extended upward to a brace supporting a forwardly-proj ecti ng handle, a twi ne box secured to the rear ends ot" the arms, a tension device upon the rear end ofone of the semicircular bars, a segmental needle having a twine-receiving groove in its back bridged by pins,and an eye atits outer end and secured to the outer ends of arms pivoted upon a bolt central to the semicircnlar bars passing through the diverging arms and braced by an inclined brace between the arms and the inner portion of the needle, a bil'urcated arm pivoted near its curved end upon the side of one of the arms ofthe needle, and having aspring attached to its end and to the said arm, an op erating-lever pivoted at. its inner end upon the central bolt and sliding between the semicircular bars,having a handle at its outer end, a cord secured to the lever and passing over pulleys upon the semicircular bars and near the forward end of the frame and between the forked end of the bifurcated arm, being secured to the brace ot' the needle, a spring secured to the forward end of the frame and to one of the needle-arms, a twine-holder upon the forward portion of the frame, and a knot ting mechanism below the holder for tying the twine, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

3. In a grain-binder, the combination of a bar pivoted at one end and having a spring forcing it to one side, and provided with blocks at its ends formed with longitudinal bearings, a knetter journaled with the end of its shaft in the outer bearing and having a pinion within the bearing,and provided with a foot formed with a rounded heel and with a straight prong and with an inwardly-hooked prong at its end, a bar sliding in the bearings and having suitable means for reciprocating it, and formed with a smooth forward portion, and with a rack portion near the middle meshing with the pinion, and having longitudinal slots in it at the forward portion of the rack portion and to the rear of the same, a sleeve journaled at the side of the sliding bar upon a bolt of the rocking bar, and having an arm at its upper end bearing against the side of the sliding bar engaging the slots of the same, and having an arm at its lower end at a right angle to the same and bearing against an abutment-plate at the side of the rocking bar near its free end, aspring secured' at its rear end,and having a curved loop at its forward end passed around the sleeve and over the upper arm of the same, and guides holding the twine at right angles to the shaft of the knotter, and having a cutter at one side of the knetter, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

4. In a gri-iin-binder, the combination of a table having a partition or wall, and having a plate upon the said partition near the outer end extended to form a vcurved guard, and having a guard-lip upon the end of the partition projecting inward and toward the inner side of the curved guard, a cross-piece having diverging guide-fingers, forming a notch registering with the space between the guard and the lip, a rectangnlarlybent cutter having its fulcrum at the bend, and having its cutting-edge registering with one finger, and having a spring secured to its long arm, drawing it inward, a bar pivoted at its inner end upon the table, and provided with blocks having longitudinal bearings at its ends, and with a spring drawing ittoward the partition, a knotter journaled with its shaft -in the forward block, having a pinion within the bear-` ing, and having a i'oot at its end formed with a rounded heel and with a straight prong,and with an inwardly-hooked prong, a bar hav ing means for reciprocating it, and having a smooth forward portion sliding in the forward bearing and a rack portion meshing with the pinion and a smooth rear portion, and formed with alongitndinal slot in the forward portion of the rack portion and to the rear of the same, a sleeve journaled at the side of the sliding bar upon a vertical bolt upon the rocking bar, and having an arm at its upper cud bearing against the sliding bar IOO IIO

engaging the slots and al1 arm at the lower when pushed forward, as and for the purpose I3 end at a right angle to the upper arm, and shown and set forth.

bearing against the abutment-plate upon the In testimony that Iolaim the foregoing as my partition, aspring Secured at the rear end to own I have hereunto afxed my signature in the partition, and having a loop at the forpresence of two Witnesses.

ward end passed around the sleeve and secured WILLIAM M. STENLE. over the upper arm, and a flat bar secured Vltnesses:

above the sliding bar upon it and parallel to JOHN BOWMAN,

it and engaging the'long arm of the cutter AUGUST PETERSON. 

